Police Law

Chambers has an impressive track record in Police Law. The Police Law section of the most recent edition of Chambers & Partners observes, "1 Chancery Lane provides consistently strong advice and representation for its police authority clients" whilst Legal 500 notes that 1 Chancery Lane is "well versed in public authority law know-how and consequently works well with solicitors and clients in this area" and"The set also has a strong reputation for police defence work and is increasingly picking up instructions from police forces beyond its core areas of activity in London and the South."

Other recent editions of the legal directories comment "This respected police law set punches above its weight and continues to pull in some impressive cases. Its clients come from a number of forces, including the Metropolitan Police, Thames Valley and Wiltshire police forces. The group has recently advised on some landmark cases, including An Informer v Chief Constable, which refined the duty of care test, and it has also offered advice relating to the Milly Dowler phone hacking allegations concerning privacy and policy issues."

Several members of Chambers have experience in police law, particularly in civil actions against the police, and a number of members are recommended in the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as leaders in the field. As well as the police forces mentioned above, Chambers has also acted on behalf of Essex Police, Sussex Police and Hampshire Constabulary and also has experience of representing claimants. Recent prominent cases include two cases arising from a fatal shooting in Hastings (Ashley and French), the ground-breaking claim under Article 2 of the European Convention in which three of the four counsel involved were from Chambers (Van Colle) and a challenge by protestors to the halting of their coach on the way to a demonstration (Laporte). We are equally at home in proceedings before judges or juries and also have experience in public disciplinary work.